Improvement in grain-binders



2 Sheets Sheet 2 HAYES. WALDOV,& MAIN.

Grai n Binder.

Patented Dec, 8, 1868.

N.FE\'ERS. PHDTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASBXNGTON, D C.

UNITED. STATES ATEN'I FFICE.

VIRGIL .HAYES, CAMPBELL G. WALDO, AND HARLAN A. MAIN, OF

' TEKONSHA, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN GRAIN-BINDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. @4,693, dated December 8, H368.

To whom it may concern Be it known that we, VIRGILHAYEs, CAMP- BELL G. WALDO, and HARLAN A. MAIN, of Tekonsha, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Binders; and we do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being" had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of our binder.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left side of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, showing the spool-pulley, twisting-gear, and dropperlevers. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the wiretwister and cutting-off hook, the wire being out; Fig. 5, the same, the twister winding the wire and the hook stationary; and Fig. 6, a rear elevation of the hinged binding-apron and its connections.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

The object of our invention is to construct an apparatus to be attached to and form part of reaping-machines which gather and bind the grain as fast as out.

To accomplish this purpose, we construct a frame, A, which is attached to and forms a rear continuation of the main frame of the reaper. This frame is mounted upon and supported by traction-wheels, one of which is shown at B, Fig. 2, revolving with a shaft, 0. On the right side of the frame A are erected standards D, securely framed together; other and shorter standards, E, Fig. 1, are erected opposite those on the left side of the frame A. Upon the standards D and E are rollers F, carrying an endless belt or carrier, G, driven by a belt from the pulley I, on the rear end of the shaft in the machine which drives the sickle-bar. The carrier is designed to be extended horizontally behind the cutter-bar, so that the grain, as fast as cut, will fall on it and be carried up and dropped into the stationary apron J, where it is held by the rack K. A bracket, M, is laterally attached to the right side of the frame A. Running back from the bracket is a stationary rod, N, at the rear end of which are secured the grain-rests 0. On this rod is hung a pulley, P, driven by a belt from the longitudinal shaft in the reaper.

On the rear side of the pulley P is a spool or bobbin, Q, carrying finewire for binding the sheaves. The pulley has also .secured to it a tubular arm, R, provided with a hole, S, through which the wire from .the spool enters .and is conducted to the end of the arm, which in its revolution wraps it around the grain in the apron U, Fig. 6. Asthe wheel P revolves the arm R strikes the disengaging-lever T on thefrontof the forward standard D, which causes therack K to rise and allow the accumulated grain tofall into the hinged bindingapron U, Fig. 6, below. On the end of the shaft 0 is a loose pulley, V, provided with a clutch on its inner face, which engages with a clutch, 1, feathered on the shaft, and throws itself out of gear at each revolution by an inclined plane, 2, on its inner side coming in contact with the clutch-lever W, and is thrown into gear once in each revolution of the spoolpulley P by a pin, X, on the front side of the same striking the shifter Y on the lever W. and thus throwing the clutch on the shaft 0 into gear with the pulley V. A belt from this gives motion to the pulley Z, on the shaft 3 at the rear of the frame. On the other end of the shaft 3 is a spur-wheel, 4, driving the pinion 5 in front, and which carries on the same shaft a ratchet-wheel, 6, which catches and twists the Wire in binding the sheaf. The pulley Z is provided with a crank-pin, 7, which carries and operates an elongated hook, 8, having a knifeedge on the inner side of the hook to assist in cutting off the wire, which is completed by the hook drawing the wire back against the knife 9, shown in outline in Figs. 5 and 6. 10, Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6, is a spring-latch engaging with a stud on the binding-apron U, and is disengaged from the same by the wrist-pin 7 on the pulley Z, when the weight of the sheaf causes the hinged apron U to open, when the sheaf drops to the ground. The apron is drawn back to its normal position by a wire, 11, connecting it with a light spring, 12, at the'rear of the frame.

We will now explain the operation of our invention, premising, however,th at it is attached to and forms part of a reaper. In the forward movement of the whole the pulley I,

by means of a proper belt, rotates therollers F carrying the carrier-belt G, which takes the grain as fast as cut, carries it up, and drops it into the rack K. The hollow arm R on the spool-pulley P in its revolution strikes the disengaging-lever T, which raises the rack K- and drops the grain into the binding-apron below, and, coming around again, carries the wire around the sheaf. At this moment the clutch W is thrown into gear with the pulley V, which in turn causes the ratchet-wheel 6 to rapidly revolve through the belt passing around the pulley Z on the shaft 3, carrying the spur-wheel 4 which drives the pinion 5, carrying the ratchet-wheel 6, whose teeth, catching the wire rapidly, twist it a few turns, when the inclined plane 2 on the clutch-pulley throws it out of gear; at the same time the hook-knife 8 has advanced, caught the bight of the wire, and, drawing it back against the knife 9, severs it. The wrist-pin 7, as it comes back, releases the spring-latch 10 from the binding-apron U, which opens from the weight of the sheaf, allowing it to drop to the ground. The spring 12 closesthe apron, and the operation is repeated.

Any proper device for regulating the tension of the wire on the spool may be employed for the purpose of preventing its reeling off too rapidly.

What we claim as our invention, and' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The stationary apron J and the tilting rack "K, with its disengaging-lever T, the

bracket M, and stationary rod N, provided with rests O, spool-pulley P, with its spool Q, pin X, and hollow arm R, with its opening S, or their equivalents, when arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The clutch-pulley V, provided with inforth.

' VIRGIL HAYES.

CAMPBELL e. WALDO. HARLAN A. MAIN. Witnesses:

" F. A. GRANGER, O. L. HOWARD. 

